


Little Lion Man

by LadyRhiyana



Series: Season 8 reaction ficlets [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Everyone loves Jaime, Gen, House Lannister, Jaime needs a hug, Lannister family dynamics, Season 8 episode 2 spoilers, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Tywin Lannister's A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 20:28:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18611932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyRhiyana/pseuds/LadyRhiyana
Summary: “You’ve always known exactly what she is, and yet you loved her anyway.”**Jaime had always known exactly what his family was, and yet he loved them anyway, and tore his heart out trying to protect them. (Sometimes, even, from each other.)





	Little Lion Man

**Author's Note:**

> I don't particularly agree with Tyrion's quote from episode 8.02. But this is my attempt to understand what he meant. 
> 
> The title is of course from Mumford and Sons. My apologies, it was impossible to resist.

Jaime had known – or at least suspected – what his sister was after Melara Heatherspoon’s death. But she’d never showed that side of herself to him. 

He’d always known what his father was. 

Jaime had only discovered what Tyrion was when he found his father dead in the privy. 

**

He’d always known exactly what his family was, and yet he loved them anyway, and tore his heart out trying to protect them. 

(Sometimes, even, from each other.) 

**

When Jaime was a young boy, before Tyrion was even born, his mother had told him that he must look after his little brother or sister. 

“Family is the most important thing in the world, Jaime,” she’d said. 

(“More important than honour or glory?” he’d asked. 

“Of course. What use is honour or glory if you can’t protect the people you love?”)

“Family stands together, Jaime, through war and strife and peace and plenty. Not just our immediate family, but all the Lannisters, everywhere. When you are the Lion of the Rock and wars come and enemies assail us, we will support you, and in turn you must be strong enough to protect us all.”

He’d stared up at her, awed by such trust. “Like Father is strong?” he’d asked. 

His mother had only smiled sadly. “Yes, darling. Like Father.” 

She’d pressed his small hand over her belly, so that he could feel the baby kicking and tumbling within her. “When the baby is born,” she’d said, “it will be a little brother or sister. They will rely on you to protect and love them. And when they grow up, they’ll stand by you in turn. If anything should happen to me, promise you’ll look after Cersei and your little brother or sister and even your father?” 

“But Father doesn’t need protection!” Jaime had said. 

“I know, dear,” she’d said, smoothing her hand over his curls, “but he might be sad. Now, promise you’ll look out for them all?” 

Jaime had nodded solemnly, investing the action with all the force of a sacred vow. “I promise, Mama,” he’d said. 

She’d smiled at him, then, and pressed a kiss to his brow. “I love you, my little lion,” she’d said. 

Two months later, she died bringing Tyrion into the world. 

**

Jaime had tried. The gods know he’d tried. His father had refused to be comforted. His sister had turned inward, twining around Jaime, rejecting Tyrion and proclaiming them the only two who mattered in the world. 

Without their mother to stop them, with their father too blinded to see, they grew too close, too dependent on each other.

Jaime had done his best for Tyrion, trying to keep their mother’s memory alive, trying to stand between Tyrion and anyone who might hurt him – until he’d been sent to Crakehall, until he’d allowed Cersei to talk him into joining the Kingsguard. 

He’d tried to protect Aerys from his father and his father from Aerys. Left alone with a madman without guidance, he’d done the best he could. 

And then after Aerys’ death, still wounded inside, he’d been so wrapped up in Cersei and so cowed by his father that he couldn’t protect Tyrion or his poor, innocent crofter’s daughter. 

He hadn’t known how very badly it would go wrong. He hadn’t thought – 

But that was no excuse. 

In the end, he did what he could and hoped that it would be enough.


End file.
